English version HRF Condemns Lionel Messi’s Hypocritical Celebration of Gabon’s Dictator Libreville, GABON (July 31, 2015)—On July 17, Argentine football superstar and children's rights advocate Lionel Messi visited Gabon to endorse and celebrate Ali Bongo, a dictator who has ruled the African country after succeeding his father Omar Bongo in 2009. Messi has denied reports that he was paid 3.5 million euros by the Bongo family for the visit, but displayed enthusiastic support for the dictatorship during his trip. The Bongo family has exerted complete control over Gabonese politics, economics, and society since 1967. The Bongos have used Gabon as their feudal state for decades, systematically looting the country's vast natural resources, oil wealth, and rainforests. “In providing PR services to Gabon's Bongo family, Lionel Messi has seriously undermined the credibility of his own charitable foundation,” said Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen. "Whereas Messi…

English version La Lettre du Continent in its latest edition, says that as early as September 2015, Henri-Claude Oyima could leave his post as the head of BGFI group. Ali Bongo and his friends, including Christian Kerangall, the main pillar of Delta Synergie, await for the holding of the next board meeting of the group, to endorse the decision. The raucous departure of Patricia Manon from BGFI was therefore a harbinger fact, as some people in the know had indicated; this would only be the result of a marginalization operation ongoing since 2009. It is expected that to preserve appearances, Ali Bongo would throw to Oyima the bone of the presidency of the group's board of directors; an honorary position devoid of any power, but that should be paid handsomely. Christian Kerangall is tipped as the next head of BGFI. So, Delta Synergy is moving forward. In the register of to "…

English version After the Lionel Messi’s clinker, Ali Bongo is about to loosen, for the fourth time, the purse strings of the Gabonese treasury to finance the rhinestones and glitter forum organized for him by Richard Attias: The New York Forum Africa. But as has become tradition, a group of diehard outraged Gabonese, intends to oppose that waste of public money which Gabon cannot reasonably afford. But Ali Bongo can care less; the essential for him is to have fun! The Indignant movement, and all the thinking Gabonese, know that the New York Forum Africa is in no way consistent with the objectives they consider important for Gabon. A simple, concise, timely and honest analysis would necessarily lead to this verdict. The sycophantic sentences of Alain Claude Bilié Bi Nzé here, or Richard Attias there, speaking of a complacency record for an unnecessary forum, will not change anything. In a country where reality inexorably reflects the obvious conclusion of the rooting of unemployment, dei…

English version For now, the Héritage et Modernité group, although dissolved by you know who, continues to organize events; carefully avoids cutting the umbilical cord that binds it to the PDG, the party that group contests the record and the mode of governance. Members of Héritage et Modernité seem to be the last ones to believe in that old lie that it is possible to reform a fifty years old dictatorship from within. History however shows us the opposite: a dictatorship can never be reformed from within; either you destroy it, or it destroys you. There are no half measures. How can they reform a system that works as follows: -A Man at the head of a clan whose predation has reduced the population in social, political and economic slavery. -A Country transformed into an open air prison where the daily lives of the population are made of extra-judicial raids, unsolved murders, ritual crimes, tor…

Their rhetoric is in line with the guidelines and directional lines of the opposition. Their analysis of the regime’s record appears without any concession, and joins point by point that made by the opposition. Its members openly express their desire for a change of course for the country. But they affirm to still belong to the PDG and they think that change can be attained from within the party. Can we honestly believe in this break at the same time that they will not fully claim their independence (at least for now)? Dear readers, this blog like to mention that we must give the Héritage et Modernité members all the latitude to express their freedom of opinion and choice. We do not want to encourage the reflex of an attitude of suspicion, as was the case in 2009, when many Gabonese thought that Andre Mba Obame was playing Ali Bongo’s game. Tod…

Dictatorships love beggar-citizens; this is known! Alms by dictators towards their subjects on their knees and mouth-watering, have been known practices of domination since Julius Caesar. Dictators have indeed a need for servile and obedient people to make their power take root. The economic and financial autonomy of the people is a danger for any dictatorship and to avoid this, any compensation in a dictatorship must be encapsulated by the will, the good will, of the dictator. The Bongos’ Gabon is not an exception. You want to have a good job in Gabon, you will have more chance if you belong to the right chapel or to the proper obedience. Want to do business in Gabon, you should make sure to belong to the economic octopus that is Delta Synergy. Historically, independent businessmen and women of Gabon have complained that the state asphyxiates them. Recentl…

With a dignity that commands admiration and respect, Mboulou Bruno Beka’s family, the fellow murdered by the Ali Bongo regime on December 20th, continues to hold accountable a regime that responds by comtempt and scorn.

One day perhaps, the Gabonese people will show this compatriot who fell for our freedom, the note of gratitude and appreciation he deserves. But until then, let us support that family in its quest for the truth!

English version When one wants to be taken seriously, they must have a clear history and credibility giving people reasons to take them at their word. In the case of the controversial arrival of Lionel Messi in Gabon, neither he nor Ali Bongo, by their denials that no financial transaction has taken place, does manage to convince anyone. And for good reason. Since 2009, the Gabonese have seen coming to Gabon: -R. Kelly -Akon Repeatedly -Pelé -Carl Lewis -Michel Platini -Several Editions of the New York Forum Africa -The Paris Saint Germain -The National teams of Brazil and Portugal -Lionel Messi Etc... The problem is that all Gabonese know that these invitations to Gabon are made by paying billions of CFA francs; but at no time has the Bongo regime deigned to demonstrate its respect for the Gabonese people by telling them how much these communication operations are costing and what is their value to the nation. Instead, the Bongo regime is doing everything to keep the amounts committed, totally se…

The level of burlesque and grotesque surrounding the recent visit of footballer Lionel Messi in Gabon, has allowed us to see how some Africans, here the one who serves currently as President of Gabon, devalue and belittle themselves before symbols of popularity from outside Africa, in order to be accepted. Indeed, Ali Bongo has demonstrated that he was willing to do anything to show himself in the company of the FC Barcelona playmaker. This blog wanted to understand how state protocol in serious countries, organizes meetings between high-level officials of these countries and their guests, whether they are politicians or not. Recently, for the final of the tennis tournament of W…